Stolbovsky peace with Sweden in 1617 was the final chord of the Russian-Swedish war, which lasted more than five years. The negotiations themselves went on for several months - neither Russia nor Sweden wanted to compromise on their demands.
Political situation
With the death of Fedorov Ivanovich, the last tsar of the Rurik dynasty, in 1598, difficult times began for Russia. The period of political and social crisis that followed the death of the king was called the Time of Troubles or the Time of Troubles. This time has become a difficult test for all segments of the population. What brought the country to a standstill? There were several prerequisites for the emergence of the crisis:
- The suppression of the Rurik dynasty is the death of the last representative of the reigning dynasty.
- Oprichnina of Ivan the Terrible, who eliminated the political elite of that time, capable of taking over the country in a difficult situation.
- The defeat of Russia in the Livonian War of 1558-1583
- Crop failure and subsequent famine of the early 17th century.
The combination of these factors caused the startTroubles in Russia. People, tired of wars, famine and political confusion, were ready to support and grab on to anyone who would promise them a peaceful, calm life. This led to the emergence of a whole string of false rulers, posing as various relatives of the king, and made Russia a tasty morsel for its neighbors - Poland, Lithuania, Sweden.
Russian-Swedish war
Stolbovsky peace between Russia and Sweden was the final of the Russian-Swedish war, which began during the Time of Troubles in 1610. In 1609, Prince Vasily Shuisky, who took the place of the tsar, turned to Sweden for help in the fight against the intervention of Poland and False Dmitry II, an adventurer and impostor who posed as the tsar's heir, Tsarevich Dmitry. Under the terms of the agreement on the union of Russia and Sweden, for its participation in the struggle against the Poles, Sweden received significant territories that belonged to Russia, including the Korelu fortress. Both parties, wanting to interpret the contract as advantageously as possible for themselves, have not fulfilled their obligations to each other.
Wishing to annex the fortress, the Swedish king Sigismund III refuses allied obligations and declares war on Russia, rightly believing that the country is weakened by hunger, political crisis and Polish intervention.
In 1610-1611, Swedish mercenaries were still fighting against the Polish troops on the side of Russia. At the same time, they interpret the treaty of alliance in their own way and use it for profit, not shying from time to time to come outagainst Russian troops, if the Poles prevail or the war on the side of the enemy promises them great benefits.
In 1611, the Swedes move on to the active capture of Russian border territories - Korela, Yam, Koporye, Novgorod. The weakened cities surrender to the enemy, and the Novgorodians even ask to establish Swedish power in themselves, thereby hoping to secede from Russia, overcome by turmoil. The King of Sweden gladly agrees to the conditions proposed by the Novgorodians and appoints two governors to the territory of the Novgorod Republic - one from the Novgorod nobility, and the other from the Swedish.
By 1613, the Swedes began an unsuccessful siege of Tikhvin. Around the same time, an army set out from Moscow, setting out to liberate the country from intervention. The battles of this army with the Swedes were of varying success.
In 1614, the Swedes begin the siege of Pskov, but the city did not surrender to the invaders. An embassy moved from Novgorod to Moscow in order to apologize to the Russian government for passing under the rule of the Swedes.
Peace talks
The war, contrary to Sweden's expectations, dragged on. The signing of the Stolbovsky peace treaty with Sweden became a necessity for both sides. Peace negotiations began in August 1615, but were suspended due to the second siege of Pskov. They resumed only in January 1616. The negotiations were mediated by the English ambassador John Merik and several Dutch ambassadors. Negotiations on behalf of the Swedes were led by Jacob Delagardie, and on the Russian side, Prince Mezetsky spoke.
Despite all the efforts of the warring parties andambassadors from different countries (who had their own interests in this matter), the negotiations ended with the signing of only a temporary truce.
The next time the meeting took place in 1616 in the village of Stolbovo.
Stolbovsky peace with Sweden
New negotiations lasted two months: each side insisted on conditions that were impossible for the opponent. And only on February 27, 1617, a compromise was finally found and a peace treaty was signed. The Stolbovsky peace with Sweden assumed the return of Novgorod, Ladoga, Staraya Russa and other occupied territories back under the rule of the Russian government. The only thing left for the Swedes was the city of Oreshek and several adjacent territories.
The Russian government, under the terms of the Stolbovsky peace treaty with Sweden, was obliged to pay an indemnity in the amount of 20 thousand silver, which was a huge amount at that time.
In addition, free trade relations were established between the two countries, however, with a ban for merchants to pass through the territories of former opponents to other countries.
Relation to the contract
Despite Russia's heavy losses after the signing of the treaty, Moscow was extremely happy about the conclusion of the Stolbovsky peace treaty with Sweden.
The country lost access to the B altic Sea, but stopped the bloody war and was able to fully focus on the war with Poland.
